Consulting from Offer to Career Success

Welcome to the Evisors Webinar

Visit us online at www.evisors.com

Becoming a Consultant: Targeting the job, Getting the job, and Succeeding at being a consultant

featuringBen Schumacher

Hosted by: Career Advisors on Demand..com/webinars

http://www.evisors.com/

http://www.evisors.com/webinars/webinar/60



Becoming a Consultant

About BenTargeting the JobGetting the JobSucceeding as a consultantQ&A





About Ben

• Kentucky native – Go Wildcats• Washington University in St. Louis grad• 2006-2009 Deloitte Consulting, Strategy & Operations,

top of my peer group• 2009 Instituto Exclusivo, Bolivia, Internal Consultant• 2009 – 2011 Harvard Business School grad w/ Honors• Summer 2010 McKinsey & Company• Independent consultant for organizations such as Save

the Children and Achievement First Charter Schools• 2011+ Teach For America, Leadership Fellow and

Director of Strategy• 2012 Teach For America, Managing Director of

Leadership Development• Avid Words with Friends/Scrabble competitor






About Ben

Targeting the JobGetting the JobSucceeding as a consultantQ&A





Overview of the Consulting Industry

The Big Three

• McKinsey & Company• BCG• Bain

Traditional Firms

• Monitor• Booz & Co• A.T. Kearney• L.E.K.

Independents

• …Too many to name!

Boutique/Niche

• Corporate Executive Board

• William H Mercer• Parthenon• CMF

Diversified MegaFirms

• Deloitte• Accenture• IBM• Other accounting firms

Internal Corporate Groups

• PepsiCo• AMEX• Disney Institute• TFA?• Etc





How to Research the Industry

• Company website• Vault Guides

– Career Guide to Consulting– Top 50 Consulting Firms

• Wetfeet guide• Career Services and Clubs• Classmates, alumni, family• Regional conferences and networking events• External news source – set up Google alerts too!

– The Economist– Wall Street Journal– Financial Times





What are Firms Looking For?

• A habit of excellence and impact• Evidence of strong leadership capability• Project and people management ability• Facility with analytics and critical thinking• Strong communication skills for client leadership• Global and/ industry / company experience• Immediate deployability• A proactive disposition• Ability to work hard, work fast, and work with a view to the

“80-20”• Cultural fit• The airport test• People that are awesome





What to Expect in the Recruiting Process

• The courting process – “it’s not you, it’s me”• Info sessions• Campus representatives – usually early

consultants• Networking galore: phone calls, coffee

chats, happy hours, thank-you notes – proactive networking is critical for students at non-target schools

• Mock case interviews, depending on campus• A buddy system• Note: Really varies by campus. Some

campuses feature well-established relationships and methodical recruiting processes. Others require a more bottom-up network-focused job searchHosted by:See the rest at evisors.com/webinars/webinar/53



Recruiting: Your Checklist

• Cast a wide net• Choose the “right” office (hint: some offices are easier

to get accepted to than others due to supply/demand)• Show your leadership…in a very humble way• Get on the “high-potential” list• Attend every event to indicate strong interest (and

make the recruiting/interview process more personal)• Send thoughtful, personal thank-you notes to those you

meet…and then FOLLOW UP to deepen the relationship• Hunt for personal and people-based reasons to want to

join the firm• Consider every interaction an interview

Hosted by:See the rest at evisors.com/webinars/webinar/53




About BenTargeting the Job

Getting the JobSucceeding as a consultantQ&A




Resumes and Cover Letters

• A flawless resume– What differentiates you? How are you distinctive? (hint:

compare yourself to others)– What impact and specific results have you had? (hint:

reference numbers)– Strong action verbs (hint: led, managed, designed, etc.)– Flawless formatting, spelling, and grammar– Multiple revisions and reviews

• A compelling cover letter– 1st paragraph: The firm: why are you personally

interested?– 2nd paragraph: You: why are you a great candidate

(summative info, immediate deployability – NOT a repeat of resume)

– 3rd paragraph: 2-3 sentences to closeHosted by:See the rest at evisors.com/webinars/webinar/53



What to Expect in the Interview

• 1st Round: on-campus for target schools; phone screening for non-target schools

• Final rounds in-person, usually a 45-minute 1-on-1 behavioral and case interview

• Fit/Behavioral questions – SARL framework– Walk me through your resume– Why consulting? Why our company?– Tell me about a time when…be ready for the drilling!

• Hint: Use the MATRIX- SARL over Candidate Qualities

– What questions do you have for me?

• Two things not to forget: Up on news & and a immediate thank-you




What to Expect in the Interview: The Case

• Case Interview– Market sizing: What’s the market for beer in the UK?– Strategy: New market, new product, M&A, pricing,

competitive dynamics, etc

• Case Interview top tips by phase:– Intro: Synthesis, on summary; Clarify objectives– Framework: Appropriate breadth/depth; common

“buckets” include financial/economics and context/environment

– Math: Framework-ize, Verbalize and Organize– Post-Math: Qualitative Factors– Conclusion: Top-down communication and icing on

the cake (risk factors or next steps)





About BenTargeting the JobGetting the Job

Succeeding as a consultantQ&A




Succeeding as a Consultant

• Be proactive and forward-thinking – see big picture and go above and beyond to help achieve it

• Find the right coattails• Establish your niche• Network broadly and intentionally – and don’t

avoid play time• Become immediately proficient with Microsoft

tools• Lead an “extracurricular”• Send relevant news tidbits to team• Accept your first study and dominate it to establish

your reputation as a rock-star





About BenTargeting the JobGetting the JobSucceeding as a consultant

Q&A




Questions & Answers

Question 1:

Describe the training options you had while working in consulting.

Hosted by:See the answer at evisors.com/webinars/webinar/53



Questions & Answers

Question 2:

What are some of the personal/professional challenges faced in the consulting world?




Questions & Answers

Question 3:

Do you need to be in a specialized field to get into consulting?




Questions & Answers

Question 4:

How many years of experience does it take to become a consultant?




Questions & Answers

Question 5:

If someone had 6 years of supply chain experience, what is their advantage when interviewing in management consulting?




Questions & Answers

Question 6:

What interpersonal qualities wold a consultant ideally have?




Questions & Answers

Question 7:

Should a resume be lengthy or precise?




Questions & Answers

Question 8:

Would it be a good strategy to apply for the top consulting firms outside the country of origin?




Questions & Answers

Question 9:

Do university recruiters have quotas when hiring for specific demographics?




Thanks for Joining!

Book your session with Ben at www.evisors.com/expert/381

Check out Ben’s book The Best Book On HBS Admissions

at www.applyingtohbs.com


http://www.evisors.com/expert/381

http://www.applyingtohbs.com/

